Editor’s Note: Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. While no reason is the best reason to give your significant other a gift, that tubby cherub has us guys cornered. Yet giving someone jewelery can be a minefield. To mitigate the risk, I (the Joe guy) sat down with Mrs. Dappered to get her take on which pieces would make a great gift. Her first piece of advice: figure out if your lady leans classic & timeless, has a bohemian flair, or even likes funky stuff, then go from there. The following are a few options, some classic enough to gift to most, and others for the more eclectic.
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Tiffany & Co. Paloma Picasso® Loving Heart swirl pendant – $195.00
Why? It’s a subtle way to include hearts in your gift. Some heart based jewelery can look a little… childish? This is beautiful. Delicate even. Something she can wear that when someone else sees it they won’t think: “Oh look, hearts” at first glance. And a Tiffany piece is something special.
Tiffany & Co. Tiffany Locks heart lock pendant – $125.00
Why? The Locket and Key thing is pretty popular, and it’s Tiffany so it’ll stay timeless. The upcoming season for women is full of bright colors, and this is a nice pop of blue. But it’s the Tiffany Blue, so it’ll never look dated.
Dogeared ‘Key to My Heart’ Pendant Necklace – $76.00
Why? Tiffany Keys are expensive, and this made in the USA “Dogeared” brand makes really pretty looking pieces at a reasonable price. The message it comes with is also personal sounding without being over the top. It’s a good size without being too big too. It captures the key trend well.
Dogeared “Whispers” Chain Necklace – $62.00
Why? I don’t want to use the word dainty, but it’s dainty. It’s small, but really pretty. You’ll see how small it is if you look at the picture of it on the silhouette. It’s perfect as a layering piece if she likes to wear multiple necklaces, or it still makes a statement on it’s own. Also from this “dogeared” brand.
Marco Bicego ‘Jaipur’ Stone Stud Earrings – $495.00
Why? So these are a splurge. Probably not a good idea if you just started dating. They’re simple, 18k gold, and set with colorful semi precious stones. Made in Italy too.
LOIS HILL “Two-Tone Open Scroll” Round Open Disk Fishhook Earring – $168
Why? Two-Tone metal is in right now, and the scrolling is really feminine. They’re not cheap, but at about an inch wide they’re not tiny either. They’re also neutral enough that she can wear them casually or dressed up.
Golden Pearl Tincup Earrings – $399 & Laguna Pearl 8-9mm Lavender Pearl Necklace – $189
Why? The golden pearl paired with the gold makes them really light and creates an almost iridescent look. They’re a perfect spring time pick. For the necklace, it’s actually a lavender color which is a fresher, more feminine choice than white. White tends to look bridal. This is still classic but can go with plenty of workday or weekend outfits. And, all girls (okay most girls) like a strand of pretty pearls. You can also select the length of the strand with the longer lengths adding to the cost. But the 17″ that runs $189 is usually the standard.
Alexis Bittar ‘Smoky Dust’ Skinny Tapered Bangle – $100
Why? Not all women can wear bangles because their wrists are too small, and some just don’t like bracelets in general. So make sure she does before you make a purchase like this. The three colors available are muted enough that they’ll go well with other bracelets and other pieces of jewelery. The Swarovski crystals add enough sparkle that it can be a fun piece on its own.
Fresh by Honora Pearl Ring – $126.65* ($300)
Why? BEWARE! Giving her a ring box on Valentine’s Day, when not engaged or already married can be a huge misdirection. No need to cause false expectations and hurt feelings. The design on this ring is art deco influenced and has done enormously well in the online reviews. *Part of the Macy’s One Day Sale that ends today (2/8/12.) Sizes are going fast online, but there might be a supply at your local store.
Anyting Else? If your lady is the type who’d appreciate something from an independent jewelery designer, try Etsy.com. Called the “world’s handmade marketplace”, Etsy is a great place to find unique items at great prices.
Have any other advice on Valentine’s Day gifts? Jewelery or otherwise? Leave it all in the comments below. And in case anyone is wondering, no this wasn’t some trick to try and squeeze some gift ideas out of my better half. If anything, this means I can’t get her ANY of these. So I’m screwed. Damn. Top Photo Credit: Jill Clardy
Hard to go past Tiffany’s – but looking forward to your advice of a 40% off sale and them shipping to Australia!
I bought my wife a key a couple of years ago in NY, when I was running around the US for 5 weeks on a work / study trip, and she stayed home managing the house and three teenage kids – it was a reasonably priced investment in domestic harmony!
All tacky in my opinion. But that’s just my opinion, and it means nothing.
I’m just not sold on Tiffany’s. I’ve bought it before, the blue box certainly carries some cache… but when it comes down to it, just sterling silver. You’re paying for the name only. Dig the pearls… I think pearls are underutilized. I’ve had great luck with ross simons before, they usually have pretty great sale items and the quality is still pretty good.
No hearts!
That’s, um… great.
All of the above. Well put.
Where’s the holiday where my girlfriend has to get me a $500 car part?
BTW that pearl ring is really nice, though as you said you’re taking a big risk of her misinterpreting it. Maybe a necklace with a pearl(s) in it would be better?
What would you suggest as alternatives?
By the way, Joe, give the Mrs. our thanks for taking the time to put together this piece. It’s very helpful for all of us guys who may be clueless in buying jewelry and would rely on Macy’s ads or friends for ideas.
My thought is that simple, classic jewelry is best. You do have to pay attention to what she wears – yellow gold, silver, etc. – to get a sense of what she’ll like, but as long as keep it basic, you won’t go far wrong. Avoiding mall jewelry store chains is another must. If you see it advertised by Kay, you don’t want it. Agree this is a nice timely article.
Joe, can you suggest some options for those of us who have already tied the knot and (presumably) don’t have to work as hard?
(Tongue-in-cheek)
How about for a gift for a soon-to-be bride? I’m already hunting pearls for the actual wedding day, but I figure a Valentine’s day gift a few months before a wedding probably calls for something with a bit more umph? Not necessarily more expensive, but a bit more romantic? I have no idea what I’m talking about, btw.
Haha ouch, I must be terrible. I am getting married in June and I sort of figured this Valentines would have less “umph” since we are having such a big love fest in a few months. Not to mention we had a few unexpected bills lately and are a little broke at the moment.
You are making me look bad dave!
Haha, “umph” is relative I guess. I went with these
http://www.endless.com/dp/B005QL6PK2?ie=UTF8&ie=UTF8
Not a bank breaker by any means
Congrats on the wedding! I bet you’ll be looking particularly suave that day.
Lesson I learned the hard way: Just because she’s a girl and wears jewelry doesn’t mean that she’ll wear what you buy.
My wife wears earrings, so I figured she would like necklaces. Bought about 6 of them before realizing that she never ever wears them. If I were to do it over, I would just buy earrings.
Yup. Totally key. Gotta observe and see what’s in her arsenal. Buying something totally new would be a tough sell, even if it looks awesome.
How about http://www.framethedate.com
Not jewelry, but is definitely sentimental, and out of the ordinary.
Frame the date of your anniversary, first kiss, etc.
And here’s another reason why shopping in NY is better – the blue enamel heart is $170 in Australia, (and that’s Oz $, which makes it even more on conversion – say $185 US or thereabouts)!
Have you considered diamonds? I know… You just gave her a diamond ring and you’re spending a lot of money, but you know what matches a diamond ring? Diamond stud earrings. And it’s not like you’ll be spending this much money every year and they could last her forever.
They don’t have to be NEARLY as high quality as the diamond on her engagment ring since they’re half hidden by hair and they’re never staying still long enough to for anyone to stare at them. Department store earrings work just fine if you put them in a nicer box.
If you’re registered at a department store like Macy’s, they should be sending you offers and coupons several times a week in the mail. And if you sign up for their store card (which a lot of registries encourage), they chop of like 20% for the first several days worth of purchases. I think I paid a grand total of $300-350 for my wife’s 1ctw diamond stud earrings.
The key is to go to several stores (if possible) and find the nicest set in the case because some of those stones really are junk. Since the diamonds in that price range aren’t graded, you have to visually inspect them. I think I even mixed and matches from different boxes from two macy’s stores to get the pair I finally settled on. ordering online is a crap shoot.
I gave the earrings in question as her actual wedding gift, but you get the idea…
Unless she’s a total picky jerk of a wife, there’s no way she’ll ask you to return un-graded diamond earrings. Just don’t try to put an ungraded diamond on her finger. 😛
That’s a great idea. I’ve already got the Valentine’s Day present, but I’ll stash this for her wedding day present.
Several of those pieces up there are a bit pile of suck. Heart with key pendant? What, is your honey 16 years old? You going to get a stuffed animal to go with that? My wife would laugh at me. The earrings are pretty good though.
Here’s a little sage advice, but only good if your lady has a taste for things old and unique (kinda like me): find yourself a good estate jeweler in your town. Stay away from the ones that specialize in divorce trade-ins from Zales though. But find someone who buys and sells great antique jewelry. From what I’ve learned, estate jewelry sells for a much lower price than you would expect because many people don’t want *gasp* used jewelry. But you can find truly killer stuff if you have a dealer you can trust. At my normal dealer (who I buy from just 2-3 times a year), I walk in and just ask “what have you got in XX price range” and she always pleases.
sorry, bit=big
I find myself agreeing with the original poster, and I think that’s because to my sensibilities none of these pieces really has any character.